


Under Pressure

by Miraphina Atherton (mew_tsubaki)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Older Characters, cameo from Bill & Fleur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-07-11 23:00:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15982322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mew_tsubaki/pseuds/Miraphina%20Atherton
Summary: Neville's got horrible timing, and he's rubbed off on Victoire.





	Under Pressure

**Author's Note:**

> The Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowling, not to me. Read, review, and enjoy!

> _"Two of us barelegged,_
> 
> _our backs to the ocean:_
> 
> _thieves' afternoon"_
> 
> _—Rose Styron, "Thieves' Afternoon"_

"I kinda wish we could stay out a little longer," Neville said as he and Victoire watched the sunset.

Victoire smiled. "I agree. Our little vacation away was nice, and it was even better to come home and realize my family's out." She glanced up the beach, in the direction of her parents' home, Shell Cottage. She looked back to her love. "Sometimes it feels as though we don't get enough time in the world."

Neville nodded. "With Madam Malkin calling on you for everything—"

"—and you away most of the year, teaching Herbology—"

"—it's crazy," he finished. Neville tugged her hand to pull her arm behind him, and they held each other at the waist. He rested his chin on her strawberry–blond hair and relaxed. Though he'd been with Victoire for a few years now, he never much enjoyed the atmosphere with Bill and Fleur around. It didn't matter that Victoire had made the first move in her seventh year or that Neville hadn't acted on it until she was a year out of school or that Neville had been divorced for a long while before Victoire had ever crossed his mind in a romantic way—Neville would always be too old in Bill's eyes and would always be too plain in Fleur's.

Of course, what really mattered was Victoire and what _she_ thought of him. Neville's stomach did a happy flip. Victoire always made him feel handsome, strong, and brilliant, as though he could take on anything in the whole wide world.

He felt a finger poke him in the chest. Victoire stared at him. "You're thinking of what my parents are going to say tonight, aren't you?"

He sighed. She always knew what was on his mind, too. "I can't help it. I get nervous around them. You know that."

"And they always seem to have something up their sleeves, I know. You'd think," Victoire continued, tightening her arm around him, "that they'd let me make my own decisions at age twenty. Especially when I'm on the verge of moving out."

"That _is_ a nice place above Madam Malkin's shop that she's offering you."

Victoire stuck her tongue out at him. "Why can't you be like normal boyfriends, who'd jump at the chance to have me move in?"

Neville hid his fluster behind a choked laugh. "B-Because, if I were a normal boyfriend, I wouldn't have lasted this long with you."

"Are you saying it takes that much energy to keep up with me?"

"Something like that," he replied, a charming twinkle in his eye. He looked down and felt his grin widen. He loved getting lost in those sky blue eyes of hers.

Victoire stood on her tiptoes then and chastely smooched him. "Then I'll have to help you regain that energy."

Neville rolled his eyes at her impishness and sat down on the sand. She joined him, and they stretched their legs out, letting the tide come in to lap gently at their bare toes. It was very peaceful. "Hey, Vic?"

"Hmm?"

"I have something to tell you."

"Oh, me, too."

He gave her a funny look. "You do?"

"Yeah. Is it that much of a surprise?" One corner of her mouth pulled up incredulously.

"No, no, just…" Neville suddenly didn't feel as comfortable as before. It was one thing, having courage to pull Gryffindor's sword out of the Sorting Hat to kill Nagini. It was another thing, however, desperately needing courage now. He'd seen Victoire at Hogwarts. He knew she'd chewed up hearts—though not numbly. Contrary to popular belief, Victoire was not the heartless banshee people often saw her as.

She frowned. "Well, I should've told you a long while ago."

His heart sank. Oh, no—she was going to make him another name on her list! Maybe—maybe if he got his words out right now, everything would be all right. "Vic—"

"Neville—"

"—will you marry me?"

"—I'm pregnant."

The couple blinked and stared at each other. They'd said their sentences at the same time, so it came out as something like "I'm will you pregnant me?"

Victoire gaped at him. "Did you really just…?"

He was astounded. "Wha…! How did that happen?!"

She snorted. "Well, remember when I visited you at the end of the school year back in June, and we spent that one _amazing_ night when you were trying to pack up—"

"OKAY! Point taken. I know of the owls and the pixies." He shook his head to rid himself of his disbelief. "I just… You're two months along?"

In answer, Victoire beamed at him. No wonder she had a glow around her— _before_ the sun had started leaving the sky. Now she got all in his face. "Nice that you waited this long to say those four little words."

"Yeah, well…thanks for waiting so long to say two words that change everything."

Victoire laughed and snuggled into him. "Hey, we both just made some earth-shattering statements." She hugged his arm. "Plus…I wanted to be sure."

He let a minute pass. " _I've_ been sure of what I asked for two years."

Victoire tilted her head up and touched his cheek, turning his face to hers. She kissed him—softly at first, then deepening it. When she broke for a breath, she smiled against his lips. "You always did drag your feet. Not that I mind."

He chuckled. "I think my teaching you patience is what makes us work."

"Perhaps. But I already knew we were perfect together. Now…" She turned her gaze back to the sunset. "Now everything's more perfect."

"Maybe."

"What does _that_ mean?"

Neville looked up the beach. "I just saw a light go on in Shell Cottage."

Victoire groaned. "Crap…"

"Yeah, that's what I thought." They stood and begrudgingly made their way to the house, Victoire's head on Neville's shoulder the whole time.

"What are you wishing for—boy or girl?" she asked quietly.

Neville thought for a moment. "…a 'yes' would be nice."

Victoire raised her eyebrows. "It was nice of you to ask, but you already knew I'd say yes, Nev." She pecked his cheek. "But it's poor form to propose without a ring, luv."

They stopped at the door, and Neville fished his grandmother's white gold ring from his pocket. He put it on Victoire's finger. "Even _I'm_ not that stu—"

"Hold that thought, Longbottom," Bill said as he opened the door, Fleur beside him. Bill looked as though he wanted to club Neville, but Fleur appeared ecstatic, her eyes as shiny as her daughter's new ring.

"We should have stayed out longer," Victoire whispered to her love.

"Yep," Neville squeaked.

**Author's Note:**

> XD CUTE! I really just wanted to have some fun with the two of them—it's been so long since I wrote them! Xo But Neville…he's adorable when he's flustered. And Vic—so cute when she's charming! And then Bill and Fleur—of course Fleur would be excited, knowing she gets to plan a wedding. Poor Bill…he's probably alone against Vicnev now…! XD Oh, and the quote is an excerpt from a poem by Rose Styron. Her poems are BEAUTIFUL, but old—they're from the '70s. I love her stuff! X3
> 
> Thanks for reading, and please review!
> 
> -mew-tsubaki B}
> 
> 2017 note: My heart. :') Writing and rereading/editing Vicnev… Godric, this pairing is like coming home to me, so comfortable. There's an ease about them that just works, y'know? -w-


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